Fraud-preventive device for vending-machines.



No. 887,172. PATENTED MAY 12, 1908.

H J. WISSING.

FRAUD PREVENTIVE DEVICE FOR. VENDING MACHINES;

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 17, 1906.

QSHEETS-SHEET 1.

LA'I'ENTED MAY 12, 1908.

H. J. WISSING. FRAUD PREVENTIVE DEVICE FOR VENDING MACHINES.

APPLICATION IILED JAN. 17, 1806.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Sawentoz UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY J. WISSING, OF JEFFERSONVILLE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICANVENDING MACHINE 00., OF JEFFERSONVILLE, INDIANA.

FRAUD-PREVENTIVE DEVICE FOR VENDING-MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 12, 1908.

Application filed January 17, 1906. Serial No. 296,585.

.ful Improvements in Fraud-Preventive De-.

vices for Vending-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

Coin actuated vending and exhibiting mechanisms are defrauded byunscrupulous ersons and unthinking and mischievously inclined parties,hence it has become necessary to equip such mechanisms wlth means tocheck th1s practice. It has been found that the means, as generallydevised for this purpose, while materially checking the lossattributable to beating the machines, 1s open to the grave objection ofbecoming choked, thereby throwing the machine out of commission andpreventing its operation until the duly authorized person removed theobstructing article, thereby entailin loss due to the enforced period ofinactivity of the machine.

This invention provides a coin way or race ofpeculiar formation whichWill safe guard the machine and at the same time prevent the usualchokin when slugs, dummies and like articles are introduced for playingthe machine, said coin way having a movable side which is actuated bythe push bar, or like part ressed u on to effect vendition after introuction o the coin, or to bring to view the scene to be observed, or tooperate the mechanism according to the nature or special purpose of themachine.

For a ful description of the invention and the merits thereof and alsoto acquire a knowledge of the details of construction of the means foreffecting the result, reference is to be had to the following descrition and accompanying drawings, 1n whic Figure 1 is a side view of acoin way embodying the invention- Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 ofthe opposite side of the coin way. Fig. 3 is a top view. Fig. 4 is aview of the coin way as seen from its inner end, the dotted linesshowing an adjusted position of the movable wall or side thereof. Fig. 5is a vertical transverse section on the line wac of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is adetail perspective view of the fixed wall. Fig. 7 is a detailperspective view of the movable wall. Fig. 8 is a loiagitudinal sectionon the line y-y of Fig. 2.

rresponding and like parts are referred to in the following descriptionand indicated in all theviews of the drawings by the same referencecharacters.

The coin Way or race is preferably longitudinally and laterally inclinedand comprises a fixed wall 1 and a movable wall 2, the latter beingpreferably hinged at its up er edge to the fixed wall, as shown at 3. helongitudinal inclination of the coin way enables the coins toautomatically gravitate to proper position after being introduced intothe ma chine through the usual coin slot, and the lateral inclinationinsures the discharge of slugs or dummies of a diameter less than thatof the prescribed coin.

To prevent tampering with the interior mechanism by introducing a wire.or like instrument through the coin way, a hood 4 is located oppositeto the coin slot upon the inner side of the machine and in advance ofand above the coin way. As a result of this arrangement of the hood, thecoin first enters the same after being introduced into the machine andthen drops by gravity into the coin way, and in the event of a slug ordummy being introduced into the machine of less diameter than the coinparticularly if it be a pointed dummy such as a tin tag, it is retainedat the receiving end of the coin way by entering an opening formed inthe bottom portion thereof by cutting away. the front end portion of thesupporting ledge 5 at the lower edge of the fixed wall 1. The hood 4 ispreferably attached to the upper forward end of the fixed wall 1 and isopen at its lower end and in communication with the coin way so as notto offer any obstruction to the free passage of a coin, slug or the likedeposited in the machine.

The fixed wall 1 is provided at its lower edge with lugs 6 which formstops to limit the closing of the movable wall or side 2, said lugsprojecting a short distance beyond the outer edge of the supportingledge 5, thereby leaving a space between the outer edge of the part 5and the opposing side of the wall 2 through which a thin slug or dummymay drop. The ledge 5 is extremely narrow and is adapted to support acoin of normal thickness, but which will fail to support an articleappreciably thinner than the prescribed coin. The lateral inclination ofthe coin way causes a coin or article to gravitate towards the movablewall, hence such article of a thickness less than the space formedbetween the ledge 5 and the movable wall will readily escape. Themovable wall 2 is cut away to.form a space 7 which is of a heightslightly less than'the diameter of the pre scribed coin, thereby makingprovision for the escape of slugs or dummies having a di ameter lessthan that of the predetermined coin although of a like thickness. Themovable wall is pressed towards the'fixed wall by means of a springwhich may be conveniently located according to the style of the machineand the special arrangement of the parts. As illustrated, the spring 8is approximately of U form, its members embracing opposite sides of thewalls 1 and 2 and normally exerting a pressure upon the movable wallsufiicient to hold it in proper position. The

- movable wall projects below the fixed wall a dummy from the magnet.

distance-to provide an extension 9 to be engaged by anarm 10 attached toor forming a part of the plunger or like appliance of the coin actuatedmechanism adapted to be pressed upon to effect vendition or operation ofthe mechanism after the coin has been introduced into the machine. .Thisconstruction provides for actuation of the movable wall 2 after theintroduction of a coin or analogous article and in the event of a slugor dummy being introduced into the machine and the same hanging or beingcaught in the coin way, it is released and said coin way relieved of thearticle which otherwise would tend to obstruct and choke the machine andplace the same out of commission, thereby entailing loss represented bythe period of inactivity resulting from'disabling of the machine byobstructing the coin way.

A permanent magnet 11 is located upon one side of the coin way and ispreferably at? tached to the fixed wall and its purpose is to arrestslugs 0r analogous articles of iron or magnetizable material, eventhough the same be of a size corresponding to that of the coin electedfor operation of the machine. This magnet 11 is so arranged as toattract the dummy and prevent its reaching a position to effectoperation of the machine. Under ordinary conditions, a dummy, held bythe attracted force of the magnet, would obstruct the passage of a cointhrough the race in operative position and to guard against thiscontingency, a stripper 12 is employed and attached to the movable wallso as to operate therewith. This stripper is so located as to comeopposite to the attracted dummy and engage therewith when the wall 2 ismoved so as to effect detachment of the The stripper 12 consists of abar which connects the rear ends of the parts bordering upon the opening7 v and normally occupies a position to one side of the coin-wayopposite to the movable wall. One of the functions of this stripper ismanifestly to strip the coins that are attracted by the magnet 11. butthis isnot the only dummy or slug reaching a position so as to beengaged by the stripper when the movable wall 2 is actuated. r

A coin way or race embodying the invention may beadapted to differentstyles and types of machines of the coin actuated variety, it beingunderstood that minor changes may be resorted to in such adaptationwithout departing from the nature of the invention. The permanent magnetmay be held in place by any means, and as illustrated a strip isattached to the fixed wall and bent to provide keepers 13 into which thelegs of the magnet are slipped.

A coin of prescribed denominate value after being deposited in themachine passes through the coin way or race to a point to insureoperation of the coin actuated mechanism upon applying force to theoperating rod or kindred part provided either to be pressed or pulledupon to com lete the operation. A slug or dummy 0 less diameter than thecoin, after entering the hood 4 and dropping vertically into thereceiving end of the coin way, will lodge in the' opening formed by thecut away portion of the ledge 5 and hang therein and upon operatin theusual plunger, the movable wall 2 be pressed away from the fixed wallbymeans of the arm 10 engaging with the extension 9, thereby effecting arelease of said dummy. A thin slug or dummy will drop through the spaceprovided between the ledge 5 and the opposing side of the movable wall.

manner set forth, thereby preventing obstruction of the coin way.

An essential feature of the invention resides in the movable feature ofthe wall its adaptability for actuation at each operation of theplunger, pull rod or like part, so

as to clear the coin way of any article that- Other types of slugs orkindred articles introduced into the machine will be disposed of in the2 and able walls, the fixed wal open at its front and bottom, a movablewall arranged beneath the said hood, and hinged at its upper edge to thefixed wall and adapted to swing outwardly from under the said hood, thefixed wall having a supporting ledge at its lower edge with anintermediate portion spaced from the movable wall to provide an escapefor articles of less thickness than the proper coin, said fixed wallbeing provided between said ledge and the entrance end of the hood witha bottom cut away portion underneath the hood, whereby ointed dummies orthose of less diameter t an the required coin will be caught by theledge bordering upon said cut away portion and retained in said cut awayportion and be prevented from rolling along the ledge.

2. In combination, a coin way for vending machines, the same comprisingfixed and movhaving a hood at its upper end and a sup orting ledgge andspacing lugs at its lower end? the niova le wal being arranged beneaththe hood of the fixed wall and adapted to swing outward from under thesaid hood, and having an o ening in its side for the esca e of articlesof ess diameter than the prescri ed operating coin, and the end of themovable wall bordering upon said opening being bent laterally or offsetto form a bar and normally occupying a position to one side of the coinway opposlte to the movable wall to swing across the coin way uponactuation of the said movable wall, an extension projected from the saidmovable wall and an operating arm designed to engage said 5 extension.when actuating the vending mechanism.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY J. WISSIN G.

